Living in New York isn’t easy for anyone, regardless of profession. With the hustle constantly expected to translate into success, the same high standards are often applied to athletes. The Yankees, have historically embodied the idea of success in New York, and Derek Jeter was the quintessential Yankee, who not only succeeded in the Big Apple but also embraced the energy of the city, whether hostile or friendly.
Advertisement
As the story goes, days after the tragic 9/11 attacks, President George Bush was at Yankee Stadium to throw the first pitch before the World Series opener, symbolizing unity, and peace. Before taking the mound, he received a very fair warning from Derek Jeter – “Don’t bounce it or they’ll boo you.” A very small but simple testament to how the New York crowd can treat you.
Hence, if you want to learn how to play under pressure, in front of the most demanding, volatile, and aggressive crowd ever, there’s no better teacher than Derek Jeter. In fact, even Aaron Judge was booed by Yankees fans in 2024. This shows that it isn’t easy for athletes in New York, and in that regard, the Knicks haven’t been a very successful team in the Big Apple.
Still, after signing a large contract with the Knicks, 27-year-old Jalen Brunson knew no other way but to learn the lay of the land and find a way to circumvent the pressures of New York sports. Interestingly, the most feasible way to do that would be living through and studying Derek Jeter’s career.
To study Captain Clutch’s baseball career, the 2024 NBA All-Star was prescribed ‘The Captain,’ a docuseries on Derek Jeter’s baseball career and personal life, with multiple anecdotes on how the New York audience treated him.
Jalen Brunson's dad made him watch the Derek Jeter documentary when he signed with the Knicks so that Brunson could learn how to handle all that comes with playing in New York City, per @MarkJonesESPN pic.twitter.com/oVyVbl9EEk
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 17, 2024
40 days after his father, Rick Brunson, was brought on as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson signed a 4 year, $104 million deal with the team. Despite that, the Knicks lost the conference semi-finals against Miami Heat in 2023 and are currently locked 3-3 against the Indiana Pacers.
Director of ‘The Captain’ asks Knicks fans to thank him
Randy Wilkins, the director of Derek Jeter’s Docuseries, ‘The Captain,’ is a big New York sports fan. Interestingly, he recently took to Twitter and claimed he was responsible for Jalen Brunson’s success this season. Wilkins insisted that since he directed the docuseries that inspired Brunson, he should be credited for the athlete’s success, saying,
“Don’t say I didn’t do anything for you, Knicks fans.”
Don’t say I didn’t do anything for you, Knicks fans. https://t.co/w2m8DKrHwq
— Randy Wilkins (@pamsson) May 17, 2024
Jalen Brunson has been the standout star for the New York Knicks in the playoffs, amassing an impressive average of 33.9 points per game. His performance has been solid and rather crucial as the Knicks are locked in a tightly contested playoff series, tied at 3-3 with the Pacers. Can the Knicks make the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999? What do you think? Leave your comment below!
